Senior Apparel & Accessories Designer

Versus Socks; Stellenbosch; On-site; ZAR 400,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a fast-growing sock brand as a Senior Designer, where you'll lead the creative development of innovative performance products. Your role involves managing the entire lifecycle, from concept to production, while collaborating across teams and staying at the forefront of trends in sportswear. This is an exciting opportunity to make an impact in a dynamic environment surrounded by the beautiful landscape of Stellenbosch.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Opportunities for growth

Dynamic, ambitious team

Qualifications

• 5+ years in sportswear or performance apparel design.
• Strong portfolio from idea to launch.
• Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, especially Illustrator.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and development of socks, caps, and apparel.
• Manage the full product life cycle from research to samples.
• Collaborate with teams to ensure production timelines.

Skills

Creativity

Collaboration

Communication

Attention to detail

Trend awareness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design

Textile Design degree

Graphic Design degree

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Illustrator

Photoshop

InDesign

Job description

About Us
Versus Socks is a fast-growing, leading performance sock brand dedicated to providing active individuals with high-quality, innovative, and stylish socks. We believe in pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo to deliver products that are exciting and performance driven. We’re on a mission to become the performance socks world champs, and we’re building a world championship team.

The Opportunity
We’re looking for a Senior Designer to lead the creative and strategic development of our socks, caps, and apparel ranges. You’ll play a critical role in shaping the future of our products, from idea to finished product, working across performance, lifestyle and seasonal collections. If you have a deep understanding of the sports apparel industry, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and love creating products that athletes want to wear - this is your chance.

What You'll Do

• Lead the design and development of new socks, caps, and apparel ranges from concept to production

• Own and manage the full product life cycle from initial trend and market research to final samples

• Create exciting, and on-trend designs that reflect the Versus brand and community

• Translate creative concepts into detailed tech packs that guide production teams

• Work with our internal team and suppliers to plan, brief and launch collections on time

• Collaborate with the operations team to ensure production timelines are met

• Source new materials, test performance features, and innovate across product categories

• Help shape long-term product strategy, range architecture, and category expansion

• Travel internationally to manufacturers for sampling, production checks, market research and product development

• Stay on top of global trends in sport, design, and fashion to keep Versus ahead of the game

What We’re Looking For

• 5+ years of experience in sportswear or performance apparel design

• A strong portfolio showing product collections and creative designs you’ve taken from idea to launch

• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design, Textile Design, Graphic Design, or a related field

• Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign

• Strong understanding of fabrics, garment construction, and technical specifications, especially for performance wear

• Understanding of range planning, merchandising strategy, and technical development

• Ability to balance aesthetics with performance

• Strong communication and collaboration skills

• A proactive, self-driven mindset and high attention to detail

• Extra bonus: You run, ride, or train regularly and want to design products you’d proudly wear
  

Why Join Us?

• Be part of a dynamic, ambitious team redefining performance socks and sports accessories

• Freedom to lead creative projects and drive innovation

• Work in Stellenbosch, surrounded by mountains, vineyards, and athletes

• Competitive salary and opportunities for growth in a high-performance environment